Our aim with Euphoria Retreat is to inspire people to live a more balanced and healthy life – to change and transform
– Marina Efraimoglou

A new holistic wellbeing destination spa is opening in the Greek Peloponnese next May.

Designed to enable health and personal transformation, the Euphoria Retreat will include a spa offering a blend of treatments and experiences using ancient Greek and Chinese philosophies and medicines.

Situated in a valley on the edge of the Byzantine town of Mystras, a 13th century Unesco World Heritage Site, Euphoria Retreat has been created in harmony with the surrounding environment of mountains and citrus groves.

Founded by healer Marina Efraimoglou, Euphoria Retreat’s philosophy centres around achieving balance, with programmes around the five elements of earth, fire, water wood and metal, and their related energies and emotions.

“Our aim with Euphoria Retreat is to inspire people to live a more balanced and healthy life – to change and transform,” said Efraimoglou. “All experiences will be fully sensory and the goal is to ensure our guests leave feeling re-connected, and ultimately much happier than when they arrived.”

Landscaped into the earth, the spa will rise over four storeys, taking guests on a purifying journey. At its heart is a 25m water well, where a spiral staircase will lead to contrasting hot and cold footbaths for boosting circulation and injury recovery.

A sphere pool will have stone arches, hydrotherapy jets and in-water benches, and a warm water watsu pool will be available for floating therapy. The spa will also include a Byzantine Ottoman hammam, infrared sauna, large circuit classical sauna, tepidarium, cold plunge pool, ice fountain, steam room and relaxation area with views across the gardens.

Designed by Natalia Efraimoglou & Partners and decaARCHITECTURE, the retreat is a modern interpretation of classical Byzantine architecture and iconography, featuring calming gold and earthy colours, arches and soft curves. The decor is designed to be a constant interplay of light and shade, warm and cold, yin and yang – creating a Zen environment.

The retreat will include 45 bedrooms with views of the ancient Mystras castle, the valley or the forest – some with their own whirlpool or hammam bath. Also on the site is a restored mansion dating back to 1830, which will feature a private dining space and rooms and suites to sleep 14.

A garden will stretch out to the front, with areas dedicated to the five elements and their different energies, while a private forest will provide more than 78,000sq m of space for biking, trekking and outdoor classes.